Combined vent and stopper



(No Model.)

J- M. AYE-R.

COMBINED VENT AND STOPPER. No. 373,763. Patented Nov. 22, 1887.

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JOHN M. AYER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COMBlNED VENT AND STOPPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 373,763, dated November 22, 1887.

(No model.)

2" 0 all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN M. AYER. a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Combined Vent and Stopper, of which the following is a specification.

In receptacles for containing substances which require access to them of atmospheric air to cause them to run freely, and require at other times to be hermetically sealedsnch as beer, ale, porter, alcohol, oils, &c., which it' may be desired to vent or close at will, also whisky, which it may be desired to age by exposure to the atmosphere and evaporation of the fusel-oil-it is desirable to providel'or venting the receptacle means which may be readily controlled. Thus in the case of beer on draft if a barrel be tapped and vented its contents are liable to become flat, if no means are provided to prevent such result, unless consumed before the escape through the vent of sufficient of the carbonic-acid gas to cause the beer to become flat, and in the case of whisky unless a vent is provided in the rcceptaclethe l'usel-oil cannot readily escape. Inany casein is desirable to have a vent which may be conveniently controlled, and I have invented such a device, which has for its objects, besides simplicity or: construction and effectiveness, to permit a receptacle containing a liquid to be rented and hermetically sealed at pleasure.

A further object of my invention is to provide a form of combined vent and stopper which shall serve, when adjusted, to tighten in place the bung, of which it may or maynot form originally a part.

To these ends myinvention consists,broadly, in a combined vent and stopper comprising a longitudinallyslottcd threaded flaring tube, a. threaded stopper, and a ventingaperture in the device regulated and co ntrollcd by turning the stopper.

My invention also consists in a bung, a threaded flaring tube slotted longitudinally to-' ward one end and inserted into an opening through the bung, a threaded stopperinserted into the tube, and a venting-aperture in the device regulated and controlled by turning the stopper.

My invention further consists in details ,of

construction and combinations of parts, as hereinatmr more fully set forth.

In the drawings, Figurel isasecl-ional piece of a stave, representing a portion of a barrel provided with my improvement shown in sectional elevation. Fig. Zshows in sectional elevation the bung with the internallythreaded slotted tube in position. Fig. 3 shows the same as Fig. 2, with the additional feature of the threaded stopper in position within the tube. Fig. 4 is an end view of the longitudinally-slotted tube; Fig. 5, a side elevation of the same: Fig. 6, a similar view of the screwstopper; Fig. 7, a sectional elevation of a modified construction of my improved device; and Fig. 8, a sectional plan view of the same, taken on the line 8 S of Fig. 7 and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

A denotes astavc forming a portion of a barrcl 0r keg, having a bung-hole of ordinary form provided with the usual protector, r.

I illustrate and describe my improvement in connection with a barrel or keg merely for the sake of convenience, as presenting a medium of its common application; but I do not intend to be understood as confining myself to such application, as it is my desire to cover the device in connection with any form of liquid receptacle or package to which it is applicable.

B is the bung, of tapering or any other form, and provided with a central opening, q, into which a tube, 0, of slightly-flaring shape externally is forced. The tube 0 is formed of metal internally threaded and provided with longitudinal slo s at intervals around its circumference, extending from near one end to the opposite flaring end, which is, by preference merely. slightly rounded or beveled in an inward direction, as shown at as. The tube 0 is forced at either end into the opening 4 from either side of the bung. The opening q corresponds in diameter substantially with that of the smaller end of the tube. The beveled extremity m permits its entrance from its flaring end, if desired, and the tube is compressed at the slots 19.

D is a hollow screw plug or stopper provided with a head, 0, and having any desired lumber of openings, n, in its side, and adapted to enter the tube 0 and engage the screwthread therein. By screwing the stopper into the tube the tube is expanded. thereby compressing outwardly the material forming the bung (usually wood, cork, or rubber) owing to the external flaring form of the tube, which renders the opening q slightly flaring, (as shown in somewhat exaggerated degree,) thus expanding the bung suffieiently to increase its friction against the protector 1', or sides of the bung-hole or opening, and increasing the hold in its position. This incident of my improved device is of considerable importance, since the 'bungs, which are soaked in water to expand them before they are driven into the bungholes, shrink as they become dry and have a tendency to loosen in their seats.

To apply my improvement the bung B, (or part corresponding with the bung,) provided with the tube 0 and stopper D, is adjusted in the receptacle in the ordinary way and after the receptacle has been filled; or the tube and stopper may be adjusted after the bunging of the receptacle by subsequently forming the opening q to receive them. \Vhen adjusted, the receptacle may be vented by unscrewing the stopper sufficiently far to raise the opening it beyond the outer end of the tube 0, and closed by turning the stopper in the opposite direction to cause its opening to be covered by the inner side of the tube.

By the employment of the device, to cite one instance of its usefulness, a barrel of beer, alterbeing once tapped, may haveliquid drawn from it at intervals and be alternately vented and hermetically sealed at each drawing off of the beer or at will and maintained sealed during the intervals, whereby the contents are less liable than otherwise to become flat or sour, even it' a long time intervenes between the first venting and the emptying of the barrel, and, owing to the possibility of ready hermetical sealing, a fresh barrel may be tapped with impunity at an hour so late that only a small part of the contents can be sold before closing time without danger of thereby unfitting or deteriorating the beverage for subse quent consumption.

I do not depend for the satisfactory operscribed, may be in the form of notches or grooves q, extending from the outer end of the opening in the bung only part way to the inner end of the same, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, and communicating with openingsn through the sides of the tube 0, closed and opened by manipulating the stopper D.

VVh-at I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A combined vent and stopper comprising, in combination, a threaded flaring tube, 0, having longitudinal slots. p, a threaded stopper, D, and a venting-aperture, n, in the device regulated and controlled by turning the stopper, substantially as described.

2. A combined vent and stopper compris ing, in combination, a threaded flaring tube, 0, having longitudinal slots 10, and a threaded stopper, D, having an opening, n, in its side, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a bung, B, having an opening, g, a threaded flaring tube, 0, within the opening q, and having longitudinal slots 17, a threaded stopper, D, and a venting-aperture in the device regulated and controlled by turning the s toppensubstantially as described.

4. The combination of a hung, B, having an opening, q, an internally-threaded flaring tube, 0, within the opening q, and having longitudinal slots p, and an externally-threaded hollow stopper, D, within the tube 0, and provided with an opening, a, substantially as described.

JOHN M. AYER.

In presence of- J. W. DYRENFORTH, Cans. E. GAYLORD. 

